There are more than 2.5 million children in the U.S. growing up in “grandfamilies,” meaning they are being raised by relatives (grandparents, aunts, uncles, siblings, etc.) or close family friends without their parents in the home. Research shows grandfamilies are the best option for children who cannot be raised by their parents. This report includes the latest findings on grandfamilies facing high rates of hunger and food insecurity, as well as policy recommendations to help feed grandfamilies.

Child care programs operate on razor-thin margins, and the COVID-19 pandemic devastated the sector because of increased service costs, unstable enrollment, and a workforce shortage. Child care stabilization funds provided in the American Rescue Plan (ARP) have served more than 200,000 child care providers, impacting as many as 9.5 million children. Providers are using awards to help with operational costs like wages and benefits, rent and utilities, program materials and supplies, and cleaning and sanitation. The ARP Child Care Stabilization program has been critical to helping child care centers and family child care providers reopen or remain open, preventing more child care staff from leaving the profession, and increasing child care options for working parents. These fact sheets from the Administration for Children and Families are new state-by-state profiles that include the total number of child care providers assisted in each state and territory as of June 30, 2022.

This brief describes how two-generation initiatives participating in the Next Steps for Rigorous Research on Two-Generation Approaches (NS2G) project developed and refined a two-generation logic model to help them identify the right mix of services for primary caregivers and their children. The brief is intended for practitioners who provide two-generation services and seek to develop a logic model. The two-generation logic model describes the characteristics of the families served, the core services offered to each generation to support family economic security and child development, and how those services are intentionally coordinated and mutually reinforcing. Appendix A in the brief includes a blank logic model template designed to help practitioners identify core components for their own initiative.

To better understand the impact of the expanded Child Tax Credit (CTC) on Black, Latinx, and other families of color, and whether it was effectively redressing longstanding and interrelated racial and economic inequities, the Center for the Study of Social Policy conducted a survey in the winter of 2021-2022. This brief summarizes findings from the survey and complements previously published qualitative analysis of the impact of the expanded CTC on families and communities.

The U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (ETA) will host a webinar on December 15, 2022 from 2:00 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. ET which will discuss how Job Centers can successfully place individuals with substance use disorder (SUD) in employment through Individual Placement and Support (IPS). IPS is evidence-based supported employment for people with behavioral health conditions and places them in job opportunities that interest them and play to their strengths.

Most people working in human services accept that gathering and using family input improves direct service programs. However, this approach is still emerging and has a limited evidence base. Some human services programs already engage families in program improvement regularly, but this practice is less common in TANF and child support programs. This brief summarizes available literature and practice wisdom on gathering and using family input in program improvement across the human services field, with a particular focus on TANF and child support programs. It provides concrete examples and considerations for practitioners and administrators of child support, TANF, and other human services programs interested in engaging families in program improvement.

Successful reintegration into society following engagement with the criminal justice system depends on being able to meet basic needs including those for food, shelter, and medical care, as well as having access to employment and training programs. According to this brief, TANF and SNAP are critical programs that help people meet their basic needs. However, people who have been incarcerated usually face significant challenges and are frequently disqualified from receiving benefits from these programs. Public assistance such as TANF and SNAP consistently reduces recidivism, while banning access to assistance has been linked to increases in recidivism. Lifting the ban on safety net supports reduces material hardship for formerly incarcerated people, who are exceedingly paid low earnings, and also helps their families. The brief includes a discussion of which states have lifted or modified the ban and highlights one state that had previously lifted the ban and then partially reinstated it.

For young parents juggling work, school, and child care, supporting their families while transitioning into adulthood can be challenging. Parents with low incomes and those who have been involved with the foster care or criminal legal systems face even greater barriers to achieving stability. To explore how organizations can improve young parents’ employment and educational opportunities, this blogpost reflects findings from interviews with representatives of three partners involved in the Learn and Earn to Achieve Potential (LEAP) initiative. (LEAP™ is a multi­million dollar initiative to increase employment and educational opportunities for young people, ages 14 to 25, who are in foster care, homeless, or exiting the juvenile justice system.) Interviews were held with staff members at two LEAP cohort members—the Nebraska Children and Families Foundation and The Door in New York City—as well as with Hennepin Healthcare, a Minnesota organization that collaborates with Project for Pride in Living, another LEAP cohort member. The answers they shared highlight the importance of convening cross-sector partners to work toward common goals, connecting with other organizations to meet parents’ basic needs, and navigating public systems to remove barriers and help young people achieve their goals.

This letter from the Administration for Children and Families (ACF) to its colleagues states that losing a parent or caregiver has become an ongoing tragedy for children and youth caused by the co-occurring COVID-19 and drug overdose crises, as well as increases in suicides and homicides. ACF is committed to partnering with grant recipients and state and local stakeholders to ensure that children, youth, and families who have lost a parent or caregiver are supported and connected with the services and resources they need to find stability again. The letter includes a list of resources and programs such as TANF to support families after parent and caregiver loss.

The Administration for Children and Families (ACF) and the Department of Agriculture’s Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) are aware of increasing reports of benefit theft through Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) card skimming schemes. These agencies are also aware of the devastating impact the loss of benefits can have on participating households. FNS and ACF encourage states to use fraud prevention options by informing and enabling Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) households to opt into card security services that proactively protect their cards and PINs. This FNS resource identifies prevention measures that can be adopted to improve EBT card security while working towards longer-term strategies. Included in the resource are a list of card security services for client households, and a recommended list of actions state agencies can take to protect clients.